$1800 is a lot of money to spend on a single pair of shoes, but a company called Rayfish Footwear has come up with a unique manufacturing process that’s even more over-the-top than what it’s charging for its creations: it is genetically engineering stingrays for their skins.
The company claims that no two sneakers it produces are alike, and each stingray is grown specifically for each pair. Clients can choose from 29 different styles of stingray leather, combining up to nine different patterns for a truly unique design. Once they’ve made their selections, the DNA from each patterns is then combined and used to create a new stingray that’s grown to maturity before being harvested to make the sneakers.
The idea might seem a little cruel, but it’s no different than cows that are specifically grown for beef and leather. The only real difference here is the ludicrous price tag once these sneakers go on sale later in the year. But if they end up being popular, there’s no reason the company couldn’t raise the stingrays on a larger scale which would in turn help make them slightly more affordable.